Enlightened Shadow
by emilyrusset
Summary: Drake's granddaughter has been trouble on two legs, either finding it herself or having it find her since the beginning of her life. Sidney is misunderstood and no seems to understand where he's coming from half the time. Together, can they finally get past an overprotective grandfather and an ex who seems to like challenging her ex's new girlfriends. Only time will tell.


**Not many people write about Sidney, or about Hoenn Elite Four, so here's one to add to the scare few that are out there.**

**The main character also is how do ya say...Drake's granddaughter. **

**Sidney late 20's to early 30's **** Drake late 50's to mid 60's **** **

* * *

**Enlightened Shadow**

Falling in love with probably one the most misunderstood people in the world makes you ask yourself so many questions that make your head spin. So why do you ask 'did you fall in love with a person like that?' There's really no solid answer to give when falling in love, but I can explain how it all starts.

* * *

"Why again do I have to come along with you again Grandpa?" I whined as I sat in the stands watching the Hoenn League going on. It was hot...boring, and I hated being still for even a second and it had at least five hours I'd been sitting in this seat watching as the battles kept going on and on and on and on and there were a lot more on's after that. Plus I don't think 25 year olds are supposed to be sitting around doing nothing

"Because, your mother said, 'take Vesta along and make sure she doesn't get into any trouble, she's to bored around here for her own good.'" Drake, my Elite Four Grandfather said, mocking my mother to T. She'd taken after her father, the rugged sea voice and long black hair, that was now white on Drake, but still pitch as the night on my mother. I on the other hand had taken after my father, my tall frame with wide shoulders with dark green hair braided into two pigtails behind my head framing my sea foam green eyes, my dark green jacket covering my grey striped shirt bringing out the color in my eyes.

"Oh yes and you always said if she needed to get me away from the house for a while you would take me. Stupid honor and not going back on it." I muttered the last part crossing my arms getting restless again. If there was at least an interesting battle my attention would at least be held and it might have actually made the day go faster.

"You know your just like your Uncle Jarvis. Always wanting to go and do something, never can sit still to save your life, and of course have quite an affinity for getting into the most trouble possible wherever you go. Now try to pay attention, this battle actually might turn out to be a good one yet." I rolled my eyes.

"I'll take that as a compliment, he does run his own shipping company out of Slateport and he is one of the most talented boatmen in all of Hoenn, he did win the boating championships last year." I said, seeing his eyebrows furrow creating wrinkles. Obviously frustrated.

"Now I defiantly know that you take after your Uncle. Only he would take what I said as a compliment." Drake humphed out.

Looking back at the battlefield I was honestly thinking watching the waves crash into the beach behind my house in Slateport would be more interesting than this. How had these people even gotten all of the badges, the constant mistakes they kept making that I saw were almost enough for me to go down there and wring their puny little necks. The boy with the Acranine missing 5 chances within a minute to take down the Froslass that was severely weakened. I groaned.

"Now what?" I looked at my Grandfather, glaring.

"That boy apparently doesn't know what to do when there's an ice type out there and he has a fire type." I said in anguish. He only raised his eyes. "In the past minute his Acranine could have used flame thrower on the Froslass and taken care of it for good." I said finally seeing the mistake happen once more. "How do these people even get badges?!" I exclaimed throwing my hands into the air in complete disgust.

"You aren't the only one to think about it, I've wondered a few times myself how it happens." Drake said, his focus tuning back to the battle in front of us. "The Froslass's trainer is making mistakes to though, he could have finished this battle off a long time ago also." He sighed.

Watching the pokémon battle a little more closely, I hadn't seen where the Froslass had been able to beat the Arcanine. Watching the Arcanine jump over the Froslass releasing a flamethrower I saw what my grandpa had seen. Froslass had a great opportunity to hit Arcanine with a shadow ball and end the match in a heartbeat.

"Why can't people just see the weaknesses the battles would go faster." I mumbled. "Since, the power of Observation is one the most..."

"...powerful tools in your bag of tricks that you can use." I turned around, looking to see who'd finished my sentence for me. A lady in a white coat covering a dark grey dress with light grey hair was walking down the stairs to where we were sitting. A smile in her face. "It's nice to know that some young trainer still knows the basics of winning a battle." She said sighing.

"Long time no see." Drake said to the lady. "I would think this the last place to see you, after all you do live in Sinnoh and don't do much traveling anymore."

"There was a little bird that landed in my ear that told me there was quite a remarkable trainer here. I wasn't expecting to see you here either, the only way I saw it was you when I heard the Power of Observation being spoken next to this gorgeous young girl sitting next to you." He laughed throwing his arm over my shoulder. I was little confused, how would grandpa know her. Sure she looked around his age, but if she was from Sinnoh, how in the name of Deoxys did they know each other?

"This is my granddaughter Vesta Bertha, and Vesta this is Bertha, she's part of the Sinnoh Elite Four and has held on to that position for quite a few years already." I looked up down at the old lady skeptical. She sure looked short, even next to me, but then again, I was already taller than my mother and up to my grandfather's shoulder, while mom only reached the top of his chest. However, I'd learned a long time ago that never underestimate your opponent. The most geeky looking ones could sometimes be the toughest people to battle.

"Nice to meet you," I said extending my hand. She took it with a firm grip which surprised me a little but I didn't let it show on my face.

"Nice to meet you also. You're probably Amethyst's daughter aren't you." I nodded.

"Yes mam, that's my mother, though I've been told I take after my Uncle Jarvis more." I said looking directly at Drake.

"He always had been the better battler. Always wanting to keep moving, and very impulsive, he was also smart, but had big knack for getting into trouble, from what Drake tells me at least." She said a warm smile on her face.

"That he is, and that I am too. The surprising part though, his son, a few days younger than I am is exactly just like my mother."

"No wonder why Drake's always telling us at the League meetings about his grandchildren and how he thinks the hospital staff must've switched you two at the hospital." Bertha laughed, taking a seat next to me.

"I still believe to this day, the only thing holding me back is that you look to much like Amethyst's husband." I laughed a bit.

"Sure grandpa...we all know you like my Dad, you just hide it. Now, if you excuse me...I think I'm going to go around and look around Evergrande and see if there's a more interesting battle going, one that I can't nit pick so easily." I said getting up giving Bertha more room to slide in.

"Just be careful Vesta I know how you are and finding trouble." I rolled my eyes.

"When am I not careful? Since trouble finds me, not the other way around. I also have Flygon, Feraligatr, and Phanteon with me if anything happens, I do have my pokégear with me if you need to call me." I said raising my pokégear to show him I had it.

"Fine, just be careful. Your mother and grandmother would have my head if anything happened to you." I sighed, stupid relatives, sometimes they cared to much.

"When aren't I careful?" I said heading up the stairs.

"When there's no one around to keep you in check." Drake yelled, after me, but I didn't stop. This might be my only chance to get out of this arena and see the world instead of just Slateport City.

* * *

Looking at the shops lining the street, the vendors on the side calling people, and the crowds coming from everywhere. It felt like was at the flee market in Slateport on a Saturday morning, the only difference, there were a whole lot more people here an there were at Slateport. So pushing and shoving my way through the crowd I made some headway to get out of the chaos, but then out of the corner of my eyes I saw something that caught my eye. Over to left there was a huge crowd amassing at a stage. No wonder why the place was so crowded.

Shoving my way over to the crowd, there was a lot whispering about how so many were excited to see this, but there was a name that was circulating through the most. 'Sidney.' I bit on the bottom of my lip. I'd heard that name before, but I couldn't place the name with the face or any other information for that matter. Looking at the lady right beside me, she might know something.

"You know what's going on here?" I asked. Her eyes went wide.

"You don't know what's going on here?" I shook my head. "Well it's inly the most anticipated concert of the Hoenn League."

"Concert?"

"Yes concert, put on by none other than the great musician himself Sidney, the Dark type trainer of the Elite Four!" She yelled swooning at him name. Backing away from the lady, I was kinda scared. When someone was acting like at the sound of his name than what would an appearance do!?

The name Sidney now clicked though. I'd never met him in person or seen a picture but Grandpa Drake had talked about the guy before when he'd come over sometimes to celebrate or just relax. Apparently he'd been a work in progress for the league. A kid who had a bad reputation, but was just to skilled too get rid of. Drake didn't seem to like him though, called him a waste of time and a punk. He's also apparently dating the Ghost type trainer of the Elite Four Phoebe. So why there were so many swooning, screaming fans when he had a girlfriend was beyond me.

Staying near the back of the crowd I waited. I wonder why Grandpa Drake hated this guy, and before I made decision, I think I'd like to see how he acts, looks, and behaves before I made a concrete decision on him.

Just then a man in a dark suit with a purple tie came out onto the stage. "We're very sorry about the delay ladies and gentlemen, but we'd like to inform you that the concert has been canceled. We're very sorry, but..." Boo's started echoing through the crowd and then things that I had no idea where the came from started being thrown onto the stage. "Ladies...gentle..." The man in the suit ducked from a flying shoe, but then was hit with a leather studded belt that looked like it was going leave a mark.

Standing there in horror as the man in the suit crawled away from the flying objects, I was stunned to see that just because of a cancelation that these people were throwing things everywhere. My hand landing on Flygon's ball though lit up a smile on my face. I wasn't going to feel sick to my stomach because I didn't do anything about it. "Flygon, it's time for combat!" I yelled throwing the ball into the air revealing my Flygon. "Go help him!" I yelled and Flygon was off in a heartbeat getting to the stage in record time and dragging the man back behind the curtain right before a two by four narrowly missed them by a fraction of an inch. Thank goodness that I'd trained Flygon good. Or else there might be some serve injuries.

Feeling the pit of my stomach drop though, I realized that all of the angry spectators were now staring at me, pokéballs in their hands itching for a fight. Oh boy, this was going to land me in house arrest for three months, though if I was going there, I might as well have fun before.

"GET THE TRAITOR!" A man yelled throwing out his pokéball revealing a very big and scary looing Rhyperior. That wasn't the scariest part though, the man himself with a giant black mowhawk decorating him was more built up than anyone on my grandfather's ship. My hand landing on Feraligatr's pokéball calmed my nerves down a little.

"Feraligatr, it's time for combat!" I yelled as I threw the Big Jaw poké crowd now was backing away from the two large pokémon giving them ample battling space.

"This should at least be an interesting pokémon battle." The man said, clenching his fist. A grin growing on his face.

"I'm not a fan of your idle chit chat." I muttered. "Feraligatr, let's get this started, Blizzard!" Feraligatr's jaws opened wide revealing a snowy and icy attack that hit into the unprepared Rhyperior, knocking it onto it's back.

"Hey that's unfair! Rhyperior..."

"Feraligatr, finish this up, hydro cannon!" I yelled. People who talk to much in battles are quite disheartening.

Watching the Hydro Cannon slam into the Rhyperior, I knew it was down as it's trainer called it back into it's pokéball. I smirked. Well, at least I got a little fun, not much, but a little. The crowd around us though was quite and in awe, apparently shocked that Rhyperior hadn't even been able to get an attack out before it was knocked out.

"Flygon, lets go!" I yelled. "Feraligatr return." I said the red light encasing Feraligatr returning him to his ball. Looking up there was Flygon buzzing above me, "Ready to go?" Flygon nodded and then landed before me. I smiled and then turned to walk away but then there was a voice calling out behind me followed by a collective gasp from the crowd. Sighing I turned back around to find a woman standing there, a towel seemed to be wrapped around her waist along with two big pink flowers on the side of her head, a Dusknoir standing beside her.

"I challenge you to a battle?" There was something different about this girl, but I couldn't put a finger on what t was. I glanced over at Flygon and then he went in front of me.

"I accept your challenge." I yelled across the battlefield. She took a sideways glance at her Dusknoir and it went in front of her.

"I warn you now I'm not going down as easily as the guy with Rhyperior. Now Dusknoir, shadow punch lets go!" She yelled and the ghost type pokémon came streaming towards Flygon. The Dusknoir was faster than any other Dusknoir I'd seen, but then no one had seen my Flygon when flying at top speed. I'd seen no other pokémon except a Dragonite keep up with my Flygon and then there it had been a tough battle, just trying to keep track of where each of the pokémon were.

"Dodge it Flygon, then use Dragon Pulse!" Watching the Dusknoir almost hit Flygon and then going through empty space. there wasn't a long pause before there was a powerful Dragon Pulse hitting Dusknoir's back making it crash to the ground. "Now lets keep this going...Flygon stone edge!

"Dusknoir, dodge it using shadow sneak!" Watching the Dusknoir disappear and then show up in Flygon's shadow hitting it and sending it towards the ground set me a little shell-shocked. Using the shadow sneak to dodge the stone edge and get a needed attack on Flygon was a smart move, but I hated losing and wasn't about to lose now.

"Flygon..."

"And what are you doing young lady?!" Once of the most terrifying voices in the world said. Clearly laced with anger. Turning around slowly, I did not want to see what Grandpa Drake looked like. Just from his voice I was expecting to see him with his face full blown red from anger.

"Dusknoir, lets finish this up. Ice punch." I turned away from Grandpa Drake, I was not losing, so screw him, I was not letting Flygon get taken down in two hits.

"Flygon, get out of the way of that ice punch!" I yelled to Flygon was slowly getting up.

"You're done for, remember distractions are always the ones that screw you up the most." The trainer of the Dusknoir said.

"Flygon sandstorm!" I yelled. Flygon heard me as it got off the ground and whipped up a horrific sandstorm making the Dusknoir lose the Ice Punch. "Good job Flygon, now finish it up with Stone Edge!" I yelled above the roaring sands. Stones rose from the ground but then everything instantly stopped the sand dropping to the ground along with the rocks revealing that Flygon and Dusknoir were both still standing.

"Thank you Bertha for stopping this battle. Someone could get hurt. Now you're a another story." The angry voice was back and I was dreading the story he'd tell my parents. "Go off saying you're going to go and find a battle to _watch. _And what do I find you doing, battling yourself and against an Elite Four member at that!" His voice rising as he spoke, his days from traveling the seas announcing to all that I was in major trouble. "Now you're coming with me so I can make sure you don't get into any more trouble than you're already in." Drake said, grabbing onto my arm tightly dragging me away from the crowd that had amassed.

I sighed in defeat as he dragged me away, but turning back to get a glance at the trainer, I saw that there was a man at her side, a tuft of red hair in the middle of his forehead and a guitar strung over his back. The weirdest part of all, he was looking right at me, his dark grey eyes boring into me.

* * *

I was confined to a room, that I was thinking I was going to go crazy in. The white walls, a T.V., window, bed, and all universal security system included with unbreakable locks just a few of the tools that Grandpa Drake was trying to keep me away from trouble. However, once I got past the locks I had a feeling that I'd be able to make a clean get away. I was also thinking that he was getting suspicious of me. I hadn't tried anything yesterday and I hadn't talked to all since he threw me in the room and said, "Stay here."

He had a good reason to be worried though. With the plan I'd come up with I was pretty sure that I'd be out of here in no time at all. All I had to do was wait now anyway. The corrosive as I thought was working on the lock to the window, and within five minutes, I be out of here free. Keeping me in a room locked up with nothing else to do except figure out a way to escape was not a vey good idea. Hearing the pop of the lock though, I was up in an instant by the window, slipping it up quietly and throwing over a rope that I'd constructed from the bed sheets last night. Tugging on it for a quick minute to make sure it was attached to the bed frame tightly I was satisfied and then I hopped out propelling down the side, my pokéballs on my belt and my swimsuit on underneath. Dammit, there was a beach here and the water looked so much clearer than it did in Slateport, plus I then could check out the shops on the beach.

Almost to the ground I was close to gaining freedom, but there was a snag in my plan, the rope was about eight feet to short. Dammit, I thought. Now it was either jump down and hop I don't hurt myself of go back up and be trapped in the room, my grandpa not to happy about my escape attempt which they had bound to have gotten on camera.

Deciding it to be a waste if I gave up now, I went to the end of the rope and prepared to let go, but looking up I saw one of the knots give way. The bed sheet I was holding onto falling away from the rest. Making me fall towards the ground. Closing my eyes I was hoping I at least didn't break a bone, that would be the least of problems, but that would sure be a pain. Instead of falling onto the ground though, I was caught, there was no ground and there were no broken bones.

Opening my eyes to see the person who was my savior of an injury that would only confine me to my house longer. I saw it had been the guy who'd been staring at me two days ago when I'd battled that trainer with the Dusknoir.

"That was quite a drop you had there." He said, his voice not sounding gruff like Drake's but not deep but not high.

"I miscalculated the amount or bed sheets that I needed, plus I should have double knotted that last one." I said, now f you could please put me down, I have to get away from this building as fast as possible."

"Why do you need to do that?" He asked, his eyes sparkling like something was amusing him greatly.

"I have a feeling that my grandfather already on his way and I don't want to be trapped on that room again, I was going crazy in there." I told him, trying to push him away.

"Drake is very...how would you put it..."

"Protective. He hates it when people disobey his orders and he does, what I call extreme punishment when rules are broken." I supplied, "Now are you going to put me down or do I need to hit you?" I asked.

"Fine, but you were quite easy to carry, and I know a place if you want to come." He said putting me down on the ground. Looking at him, I saw no real reason to distrust him, but then there was no real reason to trust him in the first place. Remembering I had my pokémon on me though, I could get out of almost any situation if need be.

"Lead the way then." I said motioning with my hand. He grinned.

"Just try and keep up.' He said and then he was off running towards the woods me hot on his heels. At least he could run fast and not just stand there and walk. Running up to run next to him, I was about to talk but then we made it into the forest and there you had to watch where you were going. From the tree branches flying into your face to the divots and rocks in the ground there were dangers everywhere, and apparently there must've been a way through this madness because Sidney was going through it with ease and not getting hit anywhere. Determined not to try and get hit anymore I looked at how he was running and weaving through the chaos and then replicated it.

Proud of myself for not getting hit anymore in the face or landing a little wrong on my foot for the rest of the run through the forest, I wasn't paying close attention when there was an opening in the trees and I don't stop in time running right into the guy and knocking us both flying into the river. Breaking the surface of the water I was little shocked. Next time I was paying more attention to the path I took and not getting caught up in my head.

"Thanks, I really needed a bath today." I looked over to my side and there was the guy, looking like a wet skitty.

"You're welcome..."

"Names Sidney, I'm also part of the Elite Four, work with your Grandfather." He said, "Now do you want some help to get out of the water, or we could just start swimming down this river to get to the lake where we were going to go." I shook my head. This was Sidney, the Dark type trainer of the Elite Four. If Drake caught me with him, oh boy, now I had a feeling that I'd be in the house for 5 months.

"Let's just keep swimming, it's not like we're going to get any wetter if we stay in." He laughed.

"Okay then...Crawdaunt come on out." He said revealing the dark/water type.

"Come on out Feraligatr." I said letting out the crocodile like pokémon. Hopping up onto its body I watched as Sidney just smiled.

"A Flygon that has extreme speed that can almost take down Phoebe's most powerful pokémon, a Feraligatr that looks stronger than Glacia's Walrein, and there's still one pokéball on your belt yet that I've yet to see. You're a strong trainer, but yet no one lets you battle. Why is that?" He asked looking up at me as both of the pokémon moved down the river.

"I was never a great battler, but then I never got the chance to battle anyone, but the pokémon I have are well trained."

"You still haven't answered my question." I glared down at him.

"I don't know why...all I know is that I'm too much like my Uncle, impulsive and wanting to move. I think that comes from not being able to do anything but stay in Slateport, but I'm always getting into trouble where ever I go. You saw the battle I got into yesterday with Phoebe, you said and her Dusknoir, there was a reason why I was going out the window to get out of the room. Grandpa Drake was mad, threw me into the room and said stay there. Then again I did deserve it, I did get into trouble by battling." I said exasperated.

"Phoebe challenged you...you did nothing wrong as for battling that Rhyperior, you were defending yourself, plus you did do a good deed by saving the poor director from being beaten up to badly. I see no trouble in doing things that are right and just." Sidney said holding onto his Crawdaunt. "Well here we are." He said.

I turned forward and there in front of me was a huge lake surrounded by trees. The water glistening a bright blue. "This is gorgeous." I said entrapped by the beauty and wonder of the place.

"I found this place a few years ago, surprisingly by falling into the river just like we did. I discovered what was below the water two years ago though. Wanna see it?" He asked looking up.

"Sure, if its as gorgeous as it is above then I definitely want to see it." He smiled again then tossed me something that I caught in my hand. Opening my hand up I saw something that looked like one of those regulators that a diver wore except there wasn't a huge scuba tank attached to it.

"There's no scuba tank." I said looking at Sidney confused.

"It's not a regulator, its called an Aqua Lung and lets you breathe underwater. Try it, but before let me get these clothes off. Maybe they'll dry off as we explore under the water." I nodded and had Feraligatr heads towards one of the banks. Hopping off his head and onto the bank, I took off my jacket which was sopping wet and hung it over a tree branch along with my pants and t-shirt leaving me only in my bathing suit which wasn't more than a simple green top and bikini bottoms.

"Looks like you were heading here in the first place." I said, noticing that Sidney was wearing a pair of shorts and a loose dark red t-shirt.

"Looks you were going to follow suit." He said noticing my swimsuit.

"I was going to go to the beach here in Evergrande, but you changed my plans." I said jumping back into the water with a splash.

"I hope it was the better. Since the water at the beach holds nothing on the water here, nor does it hold sight." Sidney said jumping the water along with me splashing water over my face. Wiping the strands of hair that fell into my face I waited for him to come back to the surface which lasted for about a minute so when he did resurface I splashed right back. A torrent of water hitting him.

"That'll teach you not to splash me anymore." I said, crossing my arms and sticking my tongue out at him.

"Oh yeah...then what if I do this." The water crashing over my face left me in shock. He just did not...

Splashing him right back, it turned into an all out water fight between him and I seeing who could splash the other more. In the end I won the battle with a little help from Feraligatr when he swung his arm creating a huge wave that crashed in Sidney sending him sputtering out water. I laughed again as he looked even more disheveled than a wet skitty.

"Are we ready to under the water now?" He said wiping the access water out of his face.

"Are you ready?" I asked, looking at him for a bit but not being hold the laughter in. He was still looking like a cute wet skitty. Which I don't think he would take to kindly if I told him that.

"And what are you laughing about?" He asked, accusingly.

"It's nothing, nothing. Can we just get going?" I asked, wanting so badly to see what was under this water. I'd been keeping myself from looking.

"Just wait a second, I just want to get your number for my pokégear if at all possible. You might have to jet off after we're done. How's that sound?' I looked at him incredulously.

"Really?" I asked. Sidney just looked at me a serious look planted on his face. "Fine!" I said heading over to the bank and picking up my pokégear. "Here," I said shoving it at him as he got up onto the bank smiling as opened it and added his contact information in. "Better now?" I asked as he handed me his device and mine back.

"Much." He said, "now please hurry it up so we can get to the water." I smiled at him and then shook my head in disbelief.

"You were the one who wanted to do this and you're telling me to hurry it up? Where's the sense in that statement?"

"Does there have to be any?"

"Just shut up," I said annoyed with him. "Now here, everything's under Vesta, since that is my name." I said shoving the pokégear back at him.

"Call me anytime really. I'm not really that busy anymore, well since the band disbanded and Phoebe and I broke up." I looked at him, and wondered how anyone would be able to break up with him. He was a fun, positive guy who seemed to love everything about life he was strong pokémon trainer and he was just nice guy to be around.

"I'm sorry to here about that." I said, feeling a little ashamed now.

"It's nothing since when I caught you I was going to see and maybe make up with Phoebe, thinking about it now though, I think I made the best decision in bringing you along here today." I felt a blush creeping onto my face. Dammit, why was I blushing?

"Vesta!" I heard my name being yelled in the distance, by a very angry grandfather. Looking over at Sidney, I was panicking. He had just flirted with me and now my grandfather was in shouting distance, talk about ruining a perfect day.

"I've gotta go." I told him rushing over to my clothes which were still damp, but they'd pass for dry.

"When will I be able to talk to you again?"

"How about a week from now in Slateport, there's a festival there, meet under the lighthouse there, it's not big but no one goes there during the festival." I said and then I was off running towards the housing buildings trying to get there before my grandfather. At least I hoped I wouldn't be in that much trouble. Breaking out of the trees now, I had to be the most unlucky person in the world because three feet away my grandfather, looking like he was going to have a miltank.

"how are you doing this fine afternoon?' I asked, but I was only answered by a stern finger pointed towards the housing units. "Okay, I'm going now." I said as I trudged towards the housing units Drake behind me his face red as a tomato berry. I was definitely not going to be living this one down for a very long time.

* * *

**Okay people, how'd you like it? **

**Hope this one adds to the collection of the Hoenn Elite Four. **


End file.
